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The Secret to Spiritual Success – God’s Way

Posted on September 10, 2009 by auburnchick

I have shared that the weekday morning routine in my home includes devotions with the kids.

Because we get scattered in the afternoons, the morning hour is the only time I can be sure that we’ll all be home together.

We are currently reading our way through John MacArthur’s book From Ordinary to Extraordinary.  It’s the cutest little book and packed full of wisdom!

This morning’s devotion was about the secret to spiritual success.

The kids and I read about Peter’s denial of Christ.   Can you believe that this man, who vehemently denied that he was a disciple of Jesus (even cursing in the process), later went on to be the rock upon which the Church was built on!!!

Wow!

That this man, who failed so miserably at such a critical time, had an impact on the world that is still felt today…well, it’s just mind-boggling!

And the most amazing part of this story?

This man did not accomplish anything from his own efforts.

Nope.

He fell from grace with a mighty thud and landed on his rear (my words, not MacArthur’s).

In other words, he was brought to his knees…humbled in probably the most unglamorous way imaginable.

And that’s when God lifted him up and was able to use him for His glory.

See, the world constantly pushes out a message of self-sufficiency…giving 110%…doing things on your own.  That is, after all, how you get ahead at work or school, right?

However, things work a little different when you’re trying to gain ground spiritually.

I have been guilty of thinking I’d “mastered” control over an area in my life…patted myself on the back…and been brought rudely back to earth by some sort of lapse.

When we rest on our own laurels, we fall.  It’s inevitable.

However, when we humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our helplessness, He lifts us up.

I think that’s why so many people lose hope and give up.  They think that because they’ve failed that they are unable to do what God demands of them.

But they are giving up at the most critical point.

We’re taught that weakness is failure, but in the Christian walk, weakness LEADS to success.  It’s at that point where all of our haughtiness and pride is stripped away, and God clothes us with His righteousness.

What a beautiful picture of success this is…much finer than anything the world could bestow upon me.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

A Glimpse at AuburnChick’s Stockpile

Posted on September 9, 2009 by auburnchick

I was recently told that I’m a hoarder.

I beg to differ.

The correct description of what my couponing has led to is “stockpiling.”

I think it’s a crime to pass up deals in which you walk out of a store paying little to nothing for the items in your bags.

After yesterday’s post, Pat commented that she would like to see a picture of my stockpile…now that I’ve had a few months to collect items.

So, here ya go!

The first picture is my “real” pantry…

And here’s my laundry room/2nd pantry…

I sat on the washing machine to get a better picture…

If you look closely, you’ll see that one box of Crackerfuls has been opened, as have the Caprisuns on the top shelf…evidence that school has officially begun.  The kids were sternly warned not to graze too much on these items during the summer.  I easily envisioned them tearing through the laundry room, leaving only a trail of crumbs.

My children have been fortunate enough to have lunch food every day, saving even more money in the process.

Don’t ya just love this couponing thing?!  I know my family does!

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

How to Stretch $10

Posted on September 8, 2009 by auburnchick

Oh you guys…I had a fantastic day!

First, I got to sub for my favorite teacher.

Picture this…a clean classroom with lime green walls.

It sounds a little strange (the green walls, I mean), but it’s really quite eye-catching and endearing.

My students were attentive as we listened to The Scarlett Ibis.  It’s a short story that takes you through a range of emotions.

Then, coupons in hand, I went shopping!!

Woo Hoo!

I just HAVE to share the deals I got today!

First was Publix…

Ragu – $1.29
Used:  $.55 mfg AND $.75/2 Target coupon
Spent:  $.37 per jar

Popsicles – B1G1 @ $3.99
Used:  $1 mfg AND $.75 Target coupons
Spent:  $.25 per box

Ball Park Franks – B1G1 @ $4.09
Used:  $1 mfg
Spent:  $1.55 per pkg

Sara Lee Hamburger Buns – $3.19 (not on sale)
Used:  Buy 2 Ball Park Franks get Sara Lee Buns FREE
Spent:  NOTHING!  FREE item!!

Ritz Crackerfuls – 2/$4
Used:  $1 mfg AND $1 Harveys coupon
Spent:  NOTHING!  FREE items!!

Publix Reusable Bag – $.99
Used:  $.99 coupon
Spent:  NOTHING!  FREE item!

Grand Total Spent:  $4.31
Total Saved:  $32.84
Percent Saved:  87%

Then, I went to Target…

A shout-out to my mother-in-law, who came across more coupons and passed them along!

Chef Michael’s Dry Food – $4.26
Used:  $3 mfg AND $1.50 Target coupon
Spent:  NOTHING! This was a MONEYMAKER of $.24!!!

Chef Michael’s Wet Food – $.84
Used:  B1G1 mfg AND B1G1 Target coupon (the Target coupon actually took off $1 – go figure)
Spent:  NOTHING!!! Both cans were FREE!

I bought a little something extra to get the total over 0 because the store’s system won’t allow negative amounts.

Grand Total Spent:  $1.23
Total Saved:  $6.67
Percentage Saved:  84%  (this is misleading only because of the extra item I purchased)

After running to Target, I spoke to my mother-in-law, who mentioned another deal at Publix, so back I went since my ads run Wednesdays through Tuesdays (this was the last day)…

Publix recently put out Toss for Cash coupon booklets.

The coupons inside are STORE coupons, which means that you can stack mfg coupons with them.

The one I was interested in was the $3 when you buy 1 40oz Heinz Ketchup AND 2 Ore Ida Tater Tots or Fries.

This week, the ketchup is on sale 2/$4…a GREAT deal on its own.

My mother-in-law had figured out that by purchasing the smallest box of fries ($1.13), she could get the threesome for $1.26.

Good deal, eh?  Especially when you consider that the ketchup is regularly $4.58.

This was right up my alley because the Mr. had specifically requested this brand of ketchup.  I’ll use whatever is cheapest for cooking, but it’s gotta be Heinz for hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries.  Trust me…we’ve done blindfolded taste tests before.

Anyhoo…

Before I left home, I googled for mfg coupons for both products but came up empty.

I figured it was a great deal without additional coupons, so off I went.

I got to the freezer section, and what did I find?

A blinkie (a machine that spits out coupons)…suctioned to the glass door.

What was in the blinkie?

Mfg coupons for Ore Ida fries.

No kidding.

The coupons were $1/4.

Before leaving home, I had clipped four Publix coupons, so I had already planned on purchasing eight boxes of fries.

This coupon saved me an additional $.50 per “threesome,” taking my total from $1.26 to $.76.

Yeah.

I felt like I’d won the Lotto.

Ok…maybe not quite as good as that but pretty darned close.

I HAD to call my mother-in-law on the spot.

She was astounded because she had visited two Publix stores today and never saw the blinkies.

Grand Total Spent:  $3.04
Total Savings:  $19.56
Percentage Saved:  87%

Total for the Day:  $8.56

Guess what we’re having for dinner?

Hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and corn on the cob.  If you only include what I bought today, I’ll be feeding my family dinner and lunch for a few days for less than $10.

Oh, and the dogs?

They’re eating Filet Mignon.

Living like royalty, I say.

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Cutting it Close

Posted on September 7, 2009 by auburnchick

Knitting can be a nail-biting experience sometimes.

Have you ever been working on something and realized that you might just run out of yarn before the end?

This happened to me last night while knitting a pair of Lacy Rib Baby Socks to accompany the hat I made Knit for Hope.

I finished the hat a few days ago.  It’s a super-easy pattern that you can find here.  It took 20 grams of yarn using size 6 needles.

I used Plymouth Dreambaby DK (color #205).  It is 50% acrylic and 50% nylon…soft and stretchy…

Each skein has 50 grams (183 yards) of yarn.  It’s not a lot, but certainly enough to make a couple of projects.  I had 30 grams left when I finished the hat…just enough for the baby socks.

So I cast on, using a free pattern found here (direct download) or go here if you want to browse the designer’s other patterns.  I decided to use size 4 needles.

The pattern is easy to memorize, and the lacy design is really very pretty.  The sprinkling of colors hides the design a bit in my photos.

I’m considering converting this pattern to an adult-sized sock.  I think it would be gorgeous in a solid yarn.

What a nervous wreck I was!  I got the first sock done, weighed it on my postage scale, and realized that I would have just enough yarn to finish the other sock.

So I cast on and prayed.  There was no way I wanted to get near the end and come up short.  I did knit a little tighter.  I think this was the key to finishing up.

At the end, I had less than five grams of yarn left…

All-in-all, I’m pleased.

The set is just adorable and will keep a little head and set of toes warm…

Filed under: Charity, Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

A Mother’s Joy

Posted on September 6, 2009 by auburnchick

There are some moments that we, as mothers, tuck away into the recesses of our hearts.

This morning, one such moment presented itself to me.

Rooster and I got up and went to church.  Chicky, you might remember, is playing in a tournament at Disney World.

As we sat, waiting for the service to begin, I glanced at the bulletin, making note of the verses that would be preached on.

I leaned over and asked Rooster if he wanted to open his Bible so he could read along.

“Sure,” he said, “What are the verses?”

“Romans 12:2,” I said.

He then looked at me and said, “I don’t need to open my Bible.  I know that verse.”

I raised my eyebrow, and he proceeded to recite it, word for word.

Romans 12:2 (New International Version)

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

My eyes grew wide.  It’s not a short verse.

Rooster smiled and told me that it’s always been one of his favorites.

Here he is, a boy of 15, and he’s memorizing verses.  Not unusual, I know, but it’s still not exactly the norm.

It was a moment that touched my heart.

Ever since my children were young, my number one goal as a parent has been to raise children who love and serve the Lord.  Forget being respectful.  Forget being obedient.  Yes, these are important, but if they love and serve God, everything else will fall into place.

This is a moment I’ll treasure for a very long time.

As we sang the following song, my heart rejoiced in the knowledge that God is working in Rooster’s heart.

Sweetly Broken – Jeremy Riddle
To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

(2x’s)
Chorus:

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

AuburnChick – A Band Mom

Posted on September 5, 2009 by auburnchick

As of last night, I am officially a band mom.

Towards the end of last school year, Rooster decided to try out for band.  He made the drum line, being selected to play cymbals.  He was a tad disappointed because this is considered the first rung on the “ladder” of drum line.  Snare drummers are at the top.  He wants to be a snare drummer.  So, he’s gotta work his way up.

Now, I’ve gotta tell you that, while I’m happy for him, I’m fighting this “Band Mom” thing.

I’m a Soccer Mom…hardcore.  I’ve been doing the soccer thing since Chicky was seven years old.

I know I’m a nerd, but doing the “Band Thing” seems oober nerdy.

However, when Rooster brought home is band hat (I have no idea what the proper word for this is), I began to get a little excited…

And then when Rooster came out of his room wearing the rest of the uniform…

Um…I almost shed tears.

He looked so official…

Ok…so the picture looks weird because it’s missing a head.  You know me…ever the protective Mama.

But you get the idea.

He was psyched.

My heart was torn.

Chicky is at Disney World, playing in a tournament.  The Mr. took her.  I LOVE watching her play, but we knew that someone needed to be home with the boy to support his interests as well.

Rooster and I headed to the football stadium earlier than we needed.

Good thing too.

If you’ve been reading my blog over the last year or year and a half, you know that Rooster has a tendency to forget things.

Um, yeah.

We got to the stadium, and I had just entered when my cell phone rang.  I didn’t recognize the number, and the caller hung up before I could answer.

Then, I saw Rooster jogging toward me.

“Mama, you have to go home.”

Uh oh.

“What did you forget?”

“My cape.  It’s in the bag, which I left in my room, I think.”

Poor guy.  Being his first time, he had no idea that he was missing part of his uniform.

Being a good mom, I ran home, found what he needed, and got back to the stadium in record time.  Good thing we live in a small city!

The band warmed up, and I chatted with a friend…the mom of one of the dancers in the band.

I watched the drum line warm up…

Rooster is standing to the left of the hatless cymbal player.

The game finally started, but I was distracted.  Every time the band started playing, I turned my head to watch Rooster.

I wanted to see his reactions.

What a joy it was too.

There were some songs where the cymbal players had to turn around and hold their instruments for the snare drummers to play.  During a couple of the songs, Rooster laughed and bopped to the beat.

There is nothing so special as watching your children enjoy life.

I attempted to film, with my regular camera, the halftime show.

Halfway through, I realized that I had been zooming in on the wrong cymbal player.

Oops.

Oh well.

The game eventually ended with our school winning.  I enjoyed watching the cheerleaders, many of whom had been in my classes this week.  They all hollered their hellos to me, making me feel really good.

I gave an extra special handshake to one of the school’s mascots, who happens to be one of Chicky’s good friends and a special kid.  He and I have a strong bond based on mutual respect.  Teenagers can really be awesome sometimes.

I watched as one of my students from last year got hurt and had to be helped off the field.  I’ll be praying for him and checking on him next week at school.

After the game, the band played a few more songs, and then it was time to head home.

Rooster had a major adrenaline rush.  He talked non-stop and laughed hard when I told him about filming the wrong player.  He said he KNEW I would do this and should have explained where he’d be standing.

I told him that next week I’m painting some of that infrared paint on his uniform so I can put on special goggles to find him.

Oh, and Chicky’s team won its game too.  Icing on the cake for the evening.

Although I don’t envision myself a hardcore, polo-wearing Band Booster, I am definitely more enthusiastic of Rooster’s new adventure.

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

My Week in Pictures

Posted on September 4, 2009 by auburnchick
Shopping at Target: Spent $9.83. Saved $23.81

Shopping at Target: Spent $9.83. Saved $23.81

Free Samples in the Mail along with Coupon Booklets

Free Samples in the Mail along with Coupon Booklets

Pele has grown to love tennis balls

Pele has grown to love tennis balls

Preparing for my Publix shopping trip

Preparing for my Publix shopping trip

Publix Trip: Spent $38.95; Saved $78.93

Publix Trip: Spent $38.95; Saved $78.93

I donated this bag of food today.

I donated this bag of food today.

Bex Socks...in progress (Cookie As pattern from Sock Innovation)

Bex Socks...in progress (Cookie A's pattern from Sock Innovation)

One baby hat (Project for Hope) complete!

One baby hat (Project for Hope) complete!

Mr. Bear decides to try it on...

Mr. Bear decides to try it on...

Roosters Band Helmet

Rooster's Band Helmet - First Football Game Tonight

Filed under: children, Knitting, Pets | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Oodles of Noodles

Posted on September 3, 2009 by auburnchick

Man, oh man, what a week this has been.

Returning to the classroom has been an adjustment.  Getting up early and staying gone all day has left little time for the stuff I was doing this summer while unemployed.

I’m feeling overwhelmed.

This didn’t make it any better…

Yeah, it’s my kitchen sink, and it got clogged yesterday after dinner.  Not only was the sink clogged, but it was Chicky’s turn to wash the dishes, and she has a tournament this weekend and will be out of town (no, I’m not having mercy on her and doing them either).

I tried, in vain, to use the plunger to dislodge whatever was stuck.  I even stood on a ladder to give myself better leverage.

Nothing.

I went to bed with it looking like that, hoping that it would drain overnight.

It didn’t.

When I got up this morning, the water was still there, and it had turned darker and smelled a little.

I didn’t have time to deal with it before work, so I left the Mr. in charge of the plunger.

His efforts were in vain.  The water stayed put.

After school, I went straight to the grocery store (more on that in my next post).

When I got home, Chicky told me she had tried to plunge the clog through.

No cigar.

By now, the stink in the house was intense.  It smelled like raw sewage.

While I was at the grocery store, I had picked up a bottle of drainer cleaner (not Drano).  It was some sort of sulfuric acid combo.  I followed the instructions, pouring half of the bottle’s contents down the hole I couldn’t see.  Then, I tried to cover the drain, as instructed…

After 15 minutes, I ran cold water, setting the timer for three minutes (again, following the instructions).  After 90 seconds, I had to turn off the water…

The sink was full of water.  Obviously, the acid didn’t work.

Sigh…

You know what this meant, right?

I had to put on my plumber pants.

I tried to get the Mr. to fix this, but he gave me a big shiver and declared himself incapable of dealing with the stink.

Lovely.

I removed everything from the cabinet and took a picture of the pipe arrangement…just in case…

And then it was time for the dirty work.

I tried to unscrew the pipes, but they wouldn’t budge.

Guess what folks?

If you pull hard enough, the pipes come apart anyway.

Here’s what I saw when the first joint came off…

Yeah…spaghetti noodles.  Last night, I had googled “clogs,” and I read that putting in too much starchy food can lead to the exact problem I was googling.

These are staples in my house.  It was inevitable that this would happen.

I continued to pull pipes apart, at one point getting sprayed with noodles…

The smell was getting worse.

But things were about to get even ickier.

I don’t know why what happened next surprised me so much.  I wasn’t prepared, but after one hard tug, water started pouring out, quickly filling my large bucket…

I screamed for help, but it was slow in coming.

I grabbed a couple of large pots, but they quickly filled up with the nasty, brown water.

Oh man…I cannot even begin to tell you how horrendous this was.

It was probably the worst fix-it-yourself job I’ve ever done.  It was certainly the nastiest.

To their credit, the Mr. and Chicky did get me old towels to clean up with.

As I was cleaning, I felt my legs and arms start to burn.

The sulfuric acid that was in the drain cleaner had splashed on me.  It was still in the water that had just come out of my pipes.

I was more concerned about my floors getting ruined, so I cleaned them up first.  Then, I cleaned the rest of the cabinet and the sink.

I finally got around to showering.

So, what did I learn?

First, I will not put noodles down my drain any more.

Second, I will not buy drain cleaner any more.  What a waste of money.

Third, I can do whatever I set my mind to do.  Ever the penny-pincher (except where yarn is concerned), I managed to save between $100 and $200 by not calling a plumber.

I told the Mr. that he owed me, and he can pay up in yarn.

He responded that I bought yarn last weekend.

Oh yeah.  Rats.  He reads my blog and now knows as much as you guys do.

Oh well.  We’ll consider ourselves even.

For now.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Back to School for AuburnChick

Posted on September 1, 2009 by auburnchick

Today was my first day of subbing for the new school year.

I’ll admit to some trepidation.  I don’t know why because I subbed a lot last year.

I think it was simply the “routine-ness” of it all.  It was a little easier to deny that life had resumed its hectic pace as long as I was staying home, but this getting up at the crack of dawn and having to actually look presentable (and smell nice at the same time)…well, it stank of something called WORK.

Amazingly, I woke up before my alarm.  I think that I was a little concerned about oversleeping.

My clothes needed a re-introduction to something we call an “iron…”

After devotions, which yes, we’ve been getting up to do since the kids started school last week, I asked Chicky to take a picture of me…

Then, knitting bag in hand, off I went, following the kids’ path.

Today I played the part of science teacher.  I had Honors Anatomy and quickly figured out why I didn’t attend medical school…lateral, superior, anterior…”doctory” words that sounded like something from an SAT test.

Then I had a leadership class, which consisted of the SGA and Senior Class officers.  Do you know that this was my rowdiest bunch?

Last period was Honors Biology, where the students were finishing up a Gummy Bear Lab (put a gummy bear in water overnight and see what happens to it the next day).  Interesting stuff…especially watching the kids dare each other to eat the gummy bears after.

I did manage to get in a trip to CVS and Walgreens for sales items.  I had Planning first period, which allowed me to get in and out of the stores before they got busy.

I’ll be subbing for this teacher through Thursday and then will switch gears to an English class on Friday.

It’s gonna be an interesting week!

Filed under: work | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

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